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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: capital · craft · fine · drill · tear · coach

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. tear — from crying
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. tear — from crying
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fine — all right
  8. drill — army training
  9. fine — high quality
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. drill — a practice
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. capital — a city
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. craft — boats
  17. drill — the tool
  18. tear — to rip

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com